A Conversation with Charles Mangongera, Visiting NED Democracy Fellow, on Governance and Activism in Zimbabwe

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Angola, Charles Mangongera, Equatorial Guinea, Mass Public Opinion Institute, MDC, military rule in Africa, Mutoko, National Endowment for Democracy, political science, Robert Mugabe, Tete, University of Zimbabwe, ZANU-PF, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe elections

I recently had the pleasure to hear National Endowment for Democracy (NED) Reagan-Fascell Fellow Charles Mangongera, Director of Policy and Research for Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, speak masterfully at NED on the role of the military in the country’s political sphere.  Dedicated readers may know that I have a particular interest in Zimbabwe and recall an earlier Africa in DC interview of another Zimbabwean activist.

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Thiat of Y’en a Marre: Senegalese Activist, Entertainer & Visiting NED Fellow

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Charles Mangongera, Kennedy Center, NED, Thiat, Y'en a Marre

Thiat (R)

Last week I had the pleasure of bumping into Thiat – activist, entertainer, and visiting NED Democracy Fellow from Senegal on two occasions.  First, we spoke briefly at NED before Charles Mangongera’s presentation.  He gave me a copy of a very interesting documentary in which he features prominently, Boy Saloum (there is particularly compelling footage of him being arrested while opposing Wade’s attempts to remain in power in Senegal).  Our second encounter (above) was on the metro while he was heading to the studio for a recording session (and I was returning from reading Liberian newspapers on microfilm at the Library of Congress).

In this blog I often speak on what I perceive to be a significant lack of interest by Africa watchers in regards to African entertainment issues, particularly those that appeal to youth.  NED has taken a great step in bridging this divide by recognizing Thiat.

To register for Thiat’s presentation at NED on January 30 and to get more background info on him, go here.  I’ve also been informed that he’ll be performing at the Kennedy Center soon.

MDC Staffer and NED Fellow Charles Mangongera on the Role of the Military in Zimbabwe’s ‘Economic, Social, and Political Decline’

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Charles Mangongera, DRC War, Freedom House, IRI, JOC, Josiah Tongogara, Mengistu Haile Mariam, NED, Operation Murambatsvina, Robert Mugabe, USAID, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe diamonds, Zimbabwe military, Zimbabwe securocrats

Mangongera at left of NED Moderator and Commenter

Yesterday, I attended a talk by Charles Mangongera, a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy.  Mangongera is the Director of Policy and Research for the Movement for Democratic Change (Tsvangirai branch), the main opposition party in Zimbabwe.  Before assuming this position, Mangongera worked with Freedom House and was authoring reports for DC-based organizations like USAID and IRI.  Mangongera masterfully covered  wide-ranging remarks on ‘Zimbabwe’s Military and the Prospects for Democratic Reform.’

Veiled Threats from Zimbabwe Embassy to MDC Official and NED Fellow?

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Charles Mangongera, George Chinoingira, MDC, NED, Whatmore Goora, WOZA, ZANU-PF, ZCTU, Zimbabwe civil society, Zimbabwe criticism of West, Zimbabwe Embassy in USA, Zimbabwe GPA, Zimbabwe opposition, Zimbabwe political violence, ZUJ

Aggrieved Zimbabwe Embassy Official

Today, I attended a superb talk by visiting NED Fellow (and Zimbabwe opposition staffer) Charles Mangongera on Zimbabwe’s military.  His superb presentation warrants a post (to come soon) that focuses solely on its own merits.  For this space here however, there was a very interesting exchange at the end of Q & A with an official from the Embassy of Zimbabwe that warrants a separate examination.